Plumber Salary

The plumber salary in the United States is $50,242 per year, whereas in Canada it is about C$59,854 ($46,165) annually. Meanwhile, plumbers living in Australia make around AU$59,403 ($43,087) every year. Salaries drop in the UK, being £23,465 ($30,830) for the same profession.

A plumber working in Switzerland can win as much as CHF 49,470 ($51,063) per year. While the same job in Norway pays as much as NOK466,392 ($57,142) every year. Read further to learn how location, experience, and preexisting skills can influence how much one can expect to make in this field.

Plumber Salary Influencers

While Payscale reports include a variety of plumber salaries depending on location, the major factors influencing advancement prospects are the same across the globe. Find detailed information about each of the aspects affecting job outlook and wage expectation discussed below.

1. Industry

Plumbers have the opportunity to work in numerous settings in both the private sector and the public sector. Recent studies conducted in Canada show that in general, public sector employees tend to make anywhere from 18 to 37 percent more than their private sector counterparts. However, private sector employees often report having a better work/life balance.

Plumber Salary in the US

The basic plumber salary in the United States ranges from $13.56 to $33.50 per hour, though tips, overtime, commissions, and other bonuses have an impact on yearly take-home pay as well. These wages do vary from state to state, but in general, an individual can expect to bring home between $29,382 and $78,319 per year, including bonuses and other incentives.

Plumber Salary in Canada

In Canada, a plumber can make between C$16.36 and C$39.11 every hour. They win extra and can get commissions of up to C$16,000, hourly overtime from C$24.97 to C$63.89, and bonuses of up to C$7,273. Leading to a yearly salary ranging from C$34,383 to C$86,571.

Plumber Salary in the UK

Plumbers in the UK with skills in heat, gas safe, and gasreceive wages at the top end of each range. Hourly rates for plumbers vary between £6.90 and £19.05. The national average plumber salary of £23,992 per year ranges depending on the specific location, with plumbers in Manchester receiving the top end of the pay scale and plumbers in cities like Bournemouth receiving wages below national averages.

Plumber Salary in Australia

Australian plumbers earn between AU$19.78 and AU$41.00 per hour depending on experience and personal performance. Plumbers in Australia do not tend to receive a commission, but often receive high overtime wages of maximum AU$66.61 per hour. Meanwhile, the total annual pay registers between AU$40,054 and AU$89,140.

Plumber Salary in Switzerland

In Switzerland, plumbers are paid slightly higher with an hourly rate of CHF 27.50 and bonuses of approximately $3,016. The median plumber salary in Switzerland is CHF 49,470 per year, while the total yearly pay ranges between CHF 20,516 and CHF 82,742.

Plumber Salary in Norway

Since the cost of living in Norway is so high, plumbers tend to make higher wages when compared to their American or Canadian counterparts. Plumbers make about NOK224 per hour, with a base salary of NOK446,392 per year. A typical yearly bonus is approximately NOK15,671. Senior level plumbers are those with over eight years of experience, and then bring in about $572,211 per year.

3. Experience

In general, plumbers can expect to see their wages rise with experience and skill levels. Salary ranges vary depending on location. Plumbers at the beginning of their careers can expect to see salaries of about $37,000 in the US, ₤20,000 in the UK, and AU$49,000 in Australia. Their salaries grow exponentially for the next 20 years, reaching as much as $55,000 in the US, ₤30,000 in the UK, and AU$73,000 in Australia.

Regardless of the country, plumbers need to put in anywhere from 10 to 20 years before they are eligible for senior level status. While other countries reward lengthy careers with higher salaries and bonuses in Canada the situation is a bit different. So an entry-level wage for a plumber in Canada stands at C$44,000, then steadily stagnates around C$65,000 to C$68,000 after 10 to 20 years on the job. But later, in case the individual has not advanced out of the field or into a management position, they can expect to see their wages drop to C$64,000 per year after the 20-year mark.

Working Hours

In general, plumbers work traditional business hours, which are usually nine to five, Monday through Friday. Recent years have seen a shift in the traditional work week in numerous industries, including plumbing. Usual working shifts may vary if the company has a rotating shifts schedule or is open on the weekends.

Plumbers across sectors have the ability to work extra shifts, including evenings, weekend, and holidays. Most companies bill higher rates for after-hours house calls. This results in slightly higher overtime pay for the plumber who attends the call.

Bonuses & Benefits Packages

Plumbers receive bonuses in varying amounts depending on their country of employment. American plumbers are eligible for bonuses between $251 and $5,131 per year, profit sharing of up to $9,787, and commisions around $27,575 every year.

Meanwhile, plumbers working in Australia receive bonuses that range between AU$19.93 and AU$6,787, and profit sharing of up to AU$10,000 per year. In the UK, the bonus ranges from £122 to £8,877 per year, with profit sharing of up to £550 annually.

In the United States, only about half of all plumbers receive health benefits through their employer, and very few receive dental benefits. Plumbers in Canada, the UK, Australia, Switzerland, and Norway widely report receiving benefits through employment that compliment ones received through their various governments.

Job Outlook

The salary for this professional is not the only one that depends on factors such as location, experience, and personal performance. These factors also play a role in advancement opportunities and future career prospects.

In the US, the employment prospects for plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters is of 16%, which is much faster than average. This means additional 75,200 jobs by 2026, compared to 480,600 in 2016. Plumbers across the globe have high job satisfaction ratings and relatively low stress. Those looking for careers with a good work and life balance, high wages, and advancement opportunities should definitely consider plumbing.

Conclusion

Becoming a plumber may not seem glamorous, but the industry has many benefits. Education expenses are low, especially when compared to other industries, and the starting wages are competitive in most countries. Hard work and experience leads to a high plumber salary regardless of location. For more prospects, you can look at the home inspector job and salary as well.